This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L GUATEMALA 000189
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2013
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, PINR, KJUS, GT, UN, OAS
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR AND PRESS MAINTAIN PRESSURE ON GOG FOR
PROPOSAL TO INVESTIGATE CLANDESTINE GROUPS
REF: A. GUATEMALA 146
B. GUATEMALA 171
Classified By: Katharine Read, HROff, for reason 1.5 (d).
1. (SBU) Summary: In the days following the Human Rights
Ombudsman's public presentation of the proposal for a UN-OAS
led commission to investigate clandestine groups (Ref A)),
the media has followed up with domestic editorials and
international endorsements of the idea. The Ambassador has
continued to solicit support from the GOG, in both his
January 17 meeting with Foreign Minister Gutierrez, and his
January 21 meeting with Finance Minister Weymann (Ref B).
End Summary.
2. (U) Leading dailies Siglo Veintiuno and El Periodico
covered the statements made by the Ambassador, the Canadian
Ambassador, Amnesty International London, and local NGOs in
support of the proposal. Siglo Veintiuno directly quoted the
Ambassador's statement of, "It appears to me to be a very
good initiative and very well thought-out. The Commission
can make a contribution to the strengthening of democracy and
I hope the Government supports it, because I think it is
something positive." The Canadian Ambassador and Amnesty
International reportedly echoed the Ambassador's sentiment
and urged the GOG to support the Commission.
3. (U) In a January 20 signed editorial in El Periodico,
human rights activist Miguel Angel Albizures wrote about the
hold which clandestine groups exercise over the civilian
government. Albizures acknowledged that clandestine groups
were a pre-FRG phenomenon, but that the situation has
deteriorated during the Portillo administration, despite
Portillo's campaign promises to end the insecurity and
delinquency affecting Guatemalans. Albizures reiterated the
human rights community sentiment that 'enough is enough' and
urged the GOG to "open its eyes, even though it is in the
final stretch of its disastrous governance." He said that
this proposal would "test Portillo's political will, because
it is the President who must ask the UN and OAS for this
Commission."
4. (C) In a January 17 meeting called by Foreign Minister
Gutierrez to discuss counter-narcotics efforts, the
Ambassador reiterated his support of the proposal to
Gutierrez and Ministers of Defense and Interior. The
Ambassador urged the GOG to give the proposal its full
support and said that this would be a credible way in which
they could demonstrate their commitment to reform. Gutierrez
agreed that the presence of clandestine groups was alarming
and said that he came to similar conclusions during his time
at the SAE, when he produced a report on clandestine groups.
However, Gutierrez mentioned that he believed any
investigation should be geared towards a fact-finding
exposition rather than an evidence-gathering prosecution.
Gutierrez also spoke (vaguely) of the need to move ahead "at
the right political moment." The Ambassador responded that
there was no better moment than the present.
5. (C) On January 21, the Ambassador spoke with Finance
Minister Eduardo Weymann, an FRG inner circle member, about
human rights, CAFTA, and counternarcotics efforts. He said
that the USG was giving the proposal firm public support and
suggested it would behoove the GOG to back the effort to
establish a commission to investigate clandestine groups.
Weymann responded that Vice President Reyes would lead the
FRG's policy on the proposal and that Reyes was already in
contact with Helen Mack about this and other threats against
human rights workers.
6. (C) Also on January 21, Congress passed a resolution
proposed by opposition congresswoman Nineth Montenegro to
urge Portillo to accept the proposal to investigate
clandestine groups. The resolution passed with the support
of 90 deputies, including members of the FRG. In response to
public and private pressure for executive action, Portillo
and Gutierrez announced on January 22 that they had invited
Human Rights Watch Director Jose Miguel Vivanco to facilitate
the discussion between the Ombudsman, human rights NGOs, and
the GOG on the mandate of the proposed Commission. (NOTE:
Vivanco is a long-time friend of Gutierrez, and his
objectivity has been questioned by some. We know Vivanco,
however, and believe his involvement can be helpful.) Human
rights groups are concerned that this may be a ploy on behalf
of the GOG to hijack the Commission, but are refraining from
public comment until they collectively decide how to proceed.
7. (C) COMMENT: We are pleased by the continued press
coverage of the proposal. We will maintain the high-level
dialogue on the proposal by raising it in press statements
and in meetings with other GOG officials. End Comment.
Hamilton